Good morning gentle readers!

Things are moving quickly on The Odd Dog, so I wanted to give you a few updates. Let's get to it as there is a LOT of info to provide. :)

1) The proof is out there- The initial proof for The Odd Dog is making its way to me and should be here any day now! Here's a video of the proof. Remember: a proof doesn't lie flat, so the pics look wonky, and there aren't any embellishments, so some spaces look blank. I'm planning to do my own version of this video when I have the sample in hand.

We're already working on changes, but it's tough not to get fired up!! Let me know in the comments what you think. :)

So what's next? Here's where things get a little murky. Once a proof is approved, it gets printed in bulk and then shipped to the US. That can take about 45 days to get to port, and then you play a waiting game. My plan is to have my warehouse ship me all the books needed to fulfill your pledges. I'm going to do it myself to ensure it's just right.

Since we're knocking on the holiday season, I'm going to make a last minute decision on whether to ship once I have the books in hand. If it's at that strange time when the post office is inundated and there's a good chance it'll get lost, I will likely wait on the books. You will be the first to know.

HOWEVER... I want you to have SOMETHING for the holidays, so I'm putting together all the extra pieces (stickers, pawtographs, etc), and if it's looking like the books won't arrive on time, you'll still get a fun holiday package from me, including a beautiful gift receipt for The Odd Dog that gives the recipient access to the eBook version.

If you didn't get a chance to check out my 2nd book, The Odd Dog's Guide to Making Friends, do not worry! The pre-order shop is now open, and I decided to have some fun with it.

I'm offering several custom product options for people whose dogs are in the book. This includes:

If you order any custom items using the link below before November 15, I will make sure you receive them in time for the holidays. These are limited to people whose dogs have already been drawn in The Odd Dog. I will make this available for dogs drawn into The Odd Dog's Guide to making friends as well, but custom items won't be available until the illustrations for that book are done (Spring 2025).

As an added bonus, I'm giving ALL backers of The Odd Dog a $10 credit for the new shop. To access these items and this discount, use this link: https://odd-dogs-guide-to-making-friends.backerkit.com/hosted_preorders?coupon_code=ODD+DOG+DISCOUNT

Locking orders on October 25- Finally, we have about 80% of surveys done, so I'm planning to lock orders by the end of next week (October 25). This doesn't involve the custom products I mentioned above since they're on the new campaign; just products from this campaign. I'll be reaching out personally to anyone who hasn't completed their surveys yet. Locking orders means you'll also be charged for extra items you've purchased, so don't be surprised. :)

Thank you all for bringing this book to life. Your support means everything to me and I will do everything in my power to get this book to you before the end of the year.

Sincerely,

Leia B

Hi everyone!

I hope you're having a wonderful Friday! I'm pleased to announce that The Odd Dog's Guide to Making Friends launched yesterday, and we're already 93.89% to our initial funding goal!

If you had already pledged, thank you so much for your early support! It means the world to me. :)

If you haven't had a chance yet, will you consider pledging today? It builds a campaigns street cred when it funds in the first 24 hours, and we're so close!

To thank you for your support of the Odd Dog, I wanted to offer you a SECRET pledge level. This pledge includes a signed copy of The Odd Dog's Guide to Making Friends, a cool sticker, and a pawtograph (a thank you from a real dog). This pledge would normally be $17, but if you pledge using my link, it's only $12!

If you missed my last update, this book is really special to me. It's a follow-up book that will teach kids about the 3/3/3 rule, a set of well-documented behaviors that dogs often experience when living with a new family. Understanding this rule can help families new to adoption treat their furry friends with patience, love, and empathy. Every pledge gives you the option to donate a copy to a shelter, rescue, or child in need. 

I have lots of plans for this book if I can raise the funds, including:

Thank you, as always, for your amazing support, and thank you to everyone who previewed The Odd Dog a few days ago!

Leia B

Greetings everyone!

I hope you are having a WONDEFUL Labor Day weekend. I wanted to give you a few updates on where we're at with The Odd Dog, and tell you about a new project!

The illustrations are nearly done, and I'm THRILLED with how they turned out! To thank you for your support and your patience, here's a link where you can preview The Odd Dog! To access it, enter the password doggo and put your name in; think of it like a sign-in sheet at an event. :)

https://go.fliplink.me/view/odd-dog-preview

A few things to note:

1) I can't show the full dog park on the eBook (yet), so you might not see your dog. Don't worry! They're in there, I promise! I've been told I'll be able to show the full park, but haven't quite figured it out. There were a few dogs we couldn't quite fit in, so they may be in other places in the book too.
2) Please don't share this link. This is a gift to you and the book is not quite ready yet.
3) The images will look a little off kilter because it mimics an open book; the real book will line up. :)

Side note: here are a few dogs whose pics I LOVE!!

Honestly, I wasn't planning to announce a new book so soon, but sometimes opportunity and inspiration come together! It started in July when Backerkit invited me to join Booktopia, a huge collaborative campaign where 50+ authors will be launching books at the same time.

Since this is the first Booktopia, I didn't feel like I could miss it. SO--

A new book, The Odd Dog's Guide to Making Friends, launches this Thursday! This book will help teach kids the 3/3/3 rule, a set of behaviors rescues and shelters often see with dogs learning to live with a family for the first time!

The reader will be introduced to these behaviors through Odd's eyes, with his trademark blend of humor and sincerity.

The best part? I'm teaming up with shelters and rescues throughout the country, with each reward tier including copies of the books.

If this is a topic you're interested in or you want to support, please check out my new campaign! Even if you don't pledge, following the campaign and helping to spread the word helps tremendously! 

Side note-- if you were super jealous of the dogs in the book I showed you, I'm offering that reward again. I'm just saying. :) 

To summarize-- The Odd Dog is nearly done, with a printing soon to come, and there's an awesome new follow-up coming in a few days! 

Thank you, as always, for joining me on this journey and for making this book possible.

Leia B 

Good evening everyone!

I hope you are having a WONDERFUL start to the week. I'm excited to report that 60% of you have completed the surveys, which should have reached your inbox by now. If you didn't see it and use Gmail, be sure to check your promotions tab OR your updates tab. If you still don't see it, reply to this update and I'll try to troubleshoot. You can also click on your profile in the upper right corner, click "Your Surveys and Pledges", and you will see a thumbnail of my project with a complete survey heading in the right. 

Why is this important? It will be a few months before books are in hand, but we need surveys done now so I can:

1) Make sure I have enough inventory to send rewards immediately
2) Get all your names in the book

The names in the book have been, BY FAR, the most confusing element for everyone. Here's the deal. Think of this reward as a dedication. The names you choose will be in the end pages (the pages that are glued to the cover) and will be printed on the book.

SO-- if I don't complete the survey and get these to me in the next few weeks, they might not make it into the book. I am doing my utmost to get this book done quickly enough to get it to you before the end of 2024, but I need your names to do that.

These names can be anything you want. It could be a beloved dog, a child, even a fanciful name you made up yourself! Then, when you get your copy of the book, you can open up The Odd Dog, see Dexter, and think "That's MY NAME." How cool is that?

Exciting announcement!
Before I let you go, I also wanted you to be the first to know. I have been invited by Backerkit to participate in a collaborative campaign called BOOKTOPIA. Occurring from September 5-26, dozens of book campaigns will be launching at the same time, helping each other achieve amazing things! Although I had not planned to do another campaign so soon, I couldn't resist being part of the FIRST-EVER Booktopia.

My project will be a follow-up to The Odd Dog called The Odd Dog's Guide to Welcoming New Friends. In this sweet tale, Odd is attending an adoption event at the dog park when suddenly, a new dog comes home with her family! Odd learns firsthand the transition that dogs often go through when coming home for the first time. This sweet and heartwarming tale will introduce families to the "3/3/3 Rule" shelters and rescues provide families adopting for the first time and helps teach kids about the power of love and patience.

I'm planning tons of fun events and hope to use this book to advocate and fundraise for shelters and rescues! 

If you're interested in this project, I highly recommend following it now! Simply visit my teaser page to learn more. :) PLUS, I'll be offering backers of The Odd Dog some special rewards and incentives if you help me spread the word and consider backing early.

Thank you, as always for your amazing support! Have a wonderful day, and stay cool!

Leia B